1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to cable television (CATV) communications systems. More specifically, the invention pertains to a system and method for delivering selective infrared blaster VCR control codes to settop terminals over a CATV communication network.
2. Description of Related Art
CATV operators typically provide their consumers with a settop terminal, which is the interface between the CATV communication network and the consumer's television. Although most of today's televisions and VCRs are "cable ready" and have broadband tuners able to tune to the entire CATV spectrum, settop terminals are still required for a consumer to access all of the services offered by the CATV provider. Settop terminals are used to descramble premium service channels, enable viewing of pay-per-view events and facilitate interactive communications with the headend of the CATV communication system.
The use of settop terminals, however, creates difficulties for many consumers and often results in frustration for consumers due to the inconvenience of using the settop terminals in conjunction with a consumer's other home entertainment devices. For example, in order for a consumer to use their VCR to record a program being transmitted over the CATV system, the consumer must typically coordinate the settings of the VCR, the television and the settop terminal. If any of these components are not set correctly, i.e. turned on and tuned to the correct channel, the attempt at recording the program will be unsuccessful. The consumer is also faced with utilizing three different remote controls; one for the settop terminal, one for the VCR and one for the television. This can be very frustrating and confusing for consumers.
Manufacturers of CATV settop terminals have attempted to simplify the coordination of these electronic components and ease the burden on consumers by providing settop terminals which directly control a VCR. This is typically performed by incorporating an infrared (IR) blaster, essentially an IR transmitter, into the settop terminal which transmits control instructions from the settop terminal to the VCR. The level of complexity for the consumer is substantially reduced since only the settop terminal must be controlled. Using a single IR remote control, the consumer can switch television channels, program the VCR and perform many other tasks in a simplified manner.
There are several drawbacks to current settop terminals which include an IR blaster. One of the primary drawbacks is that there are many different types of VCRs and a correspondingly large number of different control codes. To be compatible with all VCRs, each settop terminal must include a library of VCR control codes for all VCRs. This requires a large memory within the settop terminal to store a database of all VCR control codes. Since the price of memory is a large percentage of the cost of a settop terminal, a large memory directly contributes to the increased costs of a settop terminal. It has become imperative to reduce the amount of required memory in order to reduce the overall costs of settop terminals.
A second drawback to current settop terminals is that the database of VCR control codes is static. After the settop terminal is manufactured and the memory programmed, the data is fixed as of that date. The information becomes obsolete as new VCRs with different control codes are manufactured. A settop terminal will be unable to control VCRs which utilize new or different VCR control codes manufactured after the programming of the settop terminal.
Accordingly, there exists the need for a settop terminal which efficiently utilizes memory and which includes a dynamic VCR control code database.